Signaling device



April 4, 1939. H. M. BUTLER SIGNALING DEVICE Filed Nov. 16, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS A ril 4, 1939. H. M. BUTLER SIGNALING DEVICE Filed Nov. 16, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M ail/6?" INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 4, 1939 PATENT OFFICE SIGNALING DEVICE Hylas M. Butler, Lewis, Kans. Application November 16, 1936, Serial No. 111,134

1 Claim.

This invention relates to signaling devices, and more particularly to turn indicating signal lamps for motor vehicles.

An object of the present invention is to provide signal lamps which may be located on the front and on the rear of a motor vehicle to indicate to motor vehicle trafllc and to pedestrians an intended turn, each lamp being provided with a novel lens disposed between the conventional lens and the lamp bulb, which lens by virtue of this position in the lamp casing will not be i1: luminated by the headlights of traffic and by solar-rays so that false indications will be positively eliminated.

A further object is to provide the signal lamp with side reflectors forming substantially a cylinder extending in the lamp casing from the con ventional lens to the signal glasslens and adapted to be illuminated by the latter so that traflic and pedestrians approaching at a lateral angle will be afforded a signal of'ample superficial area to be easily discernible for considerable distances.

A further object is to provide a signal lamp of the character described which will be formed of a few strong simple and durable 'parts. which will be inexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional viewthrough a signal lamp constructed in accordance with the invention. v

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the signal lamp taken on the line 22 of Figure 1 looking toward the signal glasslens and showing the side reflectors between the signal glass lens and the conventional lens. I

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of the lamp taken on the line 33 of Figure 1 looking toward the signal lens holder.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1 showing the lamp socket and securing bracket.

Figure 5 is a detail cross sectional view showing the signal glass lens reflector shown in Figure 3 with the signal glass lens applied thereto.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary front-elevation of the signal glass lens showing the notches to permit the securing bolts to be passed through the flange of the lens.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic viewof the wiring. system.

Referring now to the drawings in which like in. the various views, In designates a lamp casing of the streamline type which is provided in the front thereof with a conventional clear glass lens I I that may be removably confined in place by a retaining flange l2 and bolt 13, there being the usual abutment flange l4 against which the lens is clamped by the bolt. 7

In carrying out the invention a lens l5, preferably of the bulls eye type, and also preferably formed of signal glass colored brown, is located 10 substantially at the center of the casing I0 and .between the lamp bulb l6 and the conventional front lens II. A pair of reflectors ll forming a cylindrical reflector, are disposed within the casing m and extend from the front thereof to the 16 signal glass lens supported as best shown in Figures 1 and 2. The purpose of forming the side reflectors in two pieces instead of one is to facilitate assembly but a one-piece reflector may be used if desired.

In practice these reflectors II are illuminated by the lens I5 and reflect the color of the lens so that any traflic approaching at a lateral angle may have not only, the illuminated conventional lens ll withinview but also will have one of the 25 reflectors 11 within view throughout the greater part of its area and thus will be afiorded an ample signal of the driver's intended turn.

For supporting the signal glass lens IS a ring I8 is spot-welded or otherwise fixed at its outer'pe- 30 the bracket base 22 may pass rearwardly when the reflector l9 and bracket are being passed I rearwardly to assembled position in the lamp casing Hi.

The reflector I9 is provided at intervals with tabs 26 having openings 21 to receive the securing bolts 28 of the signal glass lens l5. Between the tabs the reflector is provided with arcuate forwardly extending flanges 29 which extend along the peripheral edge of the flange of the signal glass lens l5 as best shown in Figure 2 and maintain the .lens centered onthe reflector.

The side reflectors I! are provided at the rear edges with radially extending tabs 30 which overlap the front face of the flange of the signal glass lens. The securing bolts 28, preferably four in number, as shown in Figure 2, are passed through these tabs 30, and through notches 3| in the flange of the signal glass lens [5 and through the openings 21 in the tabs 26 and finally are screw threadedly engaged with openings in the supporting ring l8 to assemble the signal glass lens l5 and the reflector H! which houses the bulb IS with the supporting ring l8.

The lamp casing I0 is provided with a conventional bracket 32 having threaded studs 33 for attaching the lamp to the motor vehicle chassis in the usual manner.

By referring to Figure 7 it will be seen that the front and rear signal lamps on each side of the vehicle are connected in series 34 and with corresponding poles 35 and 36 of a switch 31. By swinging the switch to selectively engage either of the switch contacts the signal lamps on one side or the other side of the vehicle will be illuminated to designate an intended turn to the right or to the left in accordance with which side of the vehicle the signal lamps are glowing.-

By virtue of the signal back well within the interior of the lamp casing l0,-in practice, illumination of the lens cannot occur either through the rays of the Sun or through rays of the lights of other vehicles in trailic so that misleading signals are positively eliminated. Furthermore, since the side reflectors II are illuminated directly by the signal glass lens I5 these reflectors will assume the color, preferably'dark brown of the signal glass lens and will add additional area to the area of the conwith the battery.

glass lens l5 being set ventional clear glass lens l5 of the signal lamp to promote visibility of the light to other drivers and to pedestrians.

- in front of said ring and having a flange overlapping said ring, a cylindrical reflector mounted in the casing between both lenses and having radially extending tabs overlapping the front face of the flange of the signal glass lens, a reflector having a lamp bulb in rear 'of the signal glass lens having radially extending tabs engaged between the rear face of the flange of the signal lens and the front face of said supporting ring, the lamp bulb reflector being provided with forwardly extending flanges between the tabs for engaging the peripheral edge of the flange of the signal glass lens to maintain the signal glass lens centered on the lamp reflector, and bolts passed through the tabs of the cylindrical reflector and the tabs of the lamp reflector and through notches in the peripheral edge of the signal glass lens, said bolts being threadedly engaged in said securing ring 'to assemble the parts.

HYLAS M. BUTLER. 

